India: e-Arrival Card - A New Mandatory Travel Formality

India is introducing an electronic arrival card for foreign travelers. The measure is effective for all travelers starting October 1st.

India is now adopting the electronic arrival card. Presenting this "e-Arrival Card" is now mandatory for all arrivals in India as of October 1, 2025. This formality replaces the paper card previously filled out on the plane or upon arrival. India aims to streamline traveler tracking. The requirement applies to travelers of all nationalities, both adults and minors, for all entry points into India. It’s an additional mandatory formality alongside the e-Visa or visa. The e-Arrival Card must be completed online within three days prior to arrival in the country. Available in English only, it’s free and can be done on the official Indian authorities' website. The document is valid only for the declared arrival day. "This means you’ll need to complete it for each new arrival," clarifies RapideVisa, an agency specializing in visa services. Travelers must provide standard information to obtain the document (passport number, purpose of stay, countries visited in the 6 days before arrival, etc.).

Once completed, a document with a QR code to present to authorities upon arrival is generated. With this new system, India aims to facilitate traveler tracking and reduce congestion at airport counters. Nearly 19 million international visitors traveled to India in 2023. Among them, 189,000 were French.

Source: https://www.lechotouristique.com/article/inde-une-nouvelle-formalite-obligatoire-pour-voyager

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1WaPqVyUmuY

Note that the paper version will coexist with the digital version for 6 months.

Hi Marco, thanks a ton for this info because I’m heading to India next week and had no idea about this requirement...

Personally, I don’t see how this makes things easier for tourists. On the contrary... Just another last-minute formality to deal with during the pre-departure stress, and there’s a risk of forgetting it or not being able to complete it if you’re somewhere without internet—like with the Air Suvidha form during Covid... (I’m saying this because it happened to me, and I was really stuck)

Totally agree!!!

I think it's a great idea that simplifies last-minute stress. I did it online before leaving and by myself. When you have kids who are tired, crying, and running around because they're exhausted after more than 10 hours of flying, it's really handy. Plus, people are running all over the place trying to find a pen. After all, that's just my opinion.

I think it's a great idea that simplifies last-minute stress. I did it online before leaving and by myself. When you have kids who are tired, crying, and running around because they're exhausted after more than 10 hours of flight, it's really handy. Plus, people are running all over the place trying to find a pen. After all, that's just my opinion.

yeah, yeah, I tried it when I arrived in October... It wasn't mandatory yet, not sure if that's why, but I noticed the immigration process was faster...

Hello No problem. What bothers me is the mandatory aspect—giving travelers the choice seems like a better idea. Personally, and from experience, I always worry about the tech glitch that’ll cause a good dose of stress. That’s just my opinion. Anyway, safe travels.